Winning Harder: A Common List-Building Trap

This is going to be a bit of a longer post, but I hope you can bear with me on it, as I feel there is an important lesson to be learned.

Winning Harder is the concept where you specifically choose things to add to your list that make your easier match-ups even easier. Either they are elements added that work well against inexperienced players playing any list, or against anyone playing an unbalanced list. Now, this might not seem novel at all, but there is absolutely no reason to increase your chances against these opponents as stronger play will carry the game for you anyway. I think a lot of people fall into this trap, with units that are commonly referred to as 'Death Stars' (much of you strength and points limited to one or a handful of hard to defeat units). Meanwhile, you have unbalanced your list so much that you will have issues against an opponent running something more balanced and with the experience to back it up.

The Land Raider: N00b Hammer. One of the most classic examples of Winning Harder.

I am going to start with an example of a list one of my friends was running at the local GW. He was playing occasionally on the intro nights where you bring in 1000 points and generally play against new players. As he played, he kept adding to and changing elements of list such that he could win his games faster and faster, and to that end he was succeeding. I had been taking a rather long break from the game at the time and was just coming back and people were raving about his list. My response, after hearing what was in it, was, 'That just sounds really bad.' Now, those who heard me say that rolled their eyes, this list had been utterly unstoppable. Before I go on a bit, let me show you the list and maybe get you thinking about why this thing was bad:

The N00b Hammer (1k Blood Angels)
Mephiston 250

Librarian Dread w/ Blood Lance, Shield of Sanguinius, Drop Pod 210

5x Death Company 100
Death Company Dread w/ Blood Talons 125

Baal Predator w/ Flame Storm Cannon 115

Storm Raven w/ Multi-Melta, Twin-Linked Lascannon 200
Total: 1000 points

Well, what are your thoughts?



Yes, you read it correctly, eleven models in total. Basically, when we met for a game to settle my 'arrogance', I brought the following:

Something a Little More Solid (1k Imperial Guard)
CCS w/ 3x Meltagun, Astropath, Chimera 165

Veterans w/ 3x Meltagun, Chimera 155

Platoon (415):
PCS w/ 3x Meltagun, Captain Al'Rahem, Chimera 185
Squad w/ Meltagun, Chimera 115
Squad w/ Meltagun, Chimera 115

Vendetta 130
Vendetta 130
Total: 995 points

Now, while a little gimmicky to be sure (deploy the Infantry Squads in the Vendettas, reserve them with Al'Rahem, they all come in together), I think you can agree that this list was not 'tailored' to beat those Blood Angels. It was simply a far more solid list.

What resulted was a tabling in about three turns (Al'Rahem showing up Turn 2). Because he focused so much on individually strong elements, he was completely unprepared to come close to defeating something with threats spread out across many targets. Further to that, he had no elements that worked together, such as a fire base supporting forward assault elements. I think at the end he had managed to immobilize one of the Chimeras.

An Example of Applying this concept

So, I have started working on a Blood Angels list at 1500 points. After going through some reading and looking at concept builds online, I had come up with this:

A First Attempt (1.5k Blood Angels)
Librarian w/ Jump Pack, Shield of Sanguinius, Unleash Rage 125

2x Sanguinary Priests w/ Jump Packs, Lightning Claws, Melta Bombs 190

10x Assault Squad w/ 2x Meltagun, Lightning Claw, Melta Bomb 230
10x Assault Squad w/ 2x Meltagun, Lightning Claw, Melta Bomb 230
10x Assault Squad w/ 2x Meltagun, Lightning Claw, Melta Bomb 230

Attack Bike w/ Multi-Melta 50
Attack Bike w/ Multi-Melta 50

5x Devastators w/ 4x Missile Launchers 130
5x Devastators w/ 4x Missile Launchers 130
5x Devastators w/ 4x Missile Launchers 130
Total: 1495 points

I liked the Lightning Claws over Power Weapons because the claws perform the same against T4, but give me more options against higher. I do not need more advantages against lower Toughness anyway (so I am applying the concept a bit here).

***STOP SCROLLING HERE, LOOK AT WHY THIS IS NOT IDEAL***
(Feel Free to keep going though if you have no clue how Blood Angels work)

So, the biggest issue in my mind is having Special Weapons on the Sanguinary Priests. While they are an effective use of a WS5, a canny opponent will target them if they are placed into combat to attempt to negate your Feel No Pain. Against the type of player that will not perform this, you do not need additional advantages anyway. With those dropped, we can see if we can move some things around to spread out the effectiveness of this list a little:

Douche Angels (1.5k Blood Angels)
Librarian w/ Jump Pack, Shield of Sanguinius, Unleash Rage 125

2x Sanguinary Priests w/ Jump Packs 150

10x Assault Squad w/ 2x Meltagun, Lightning Claw, Melta Bomb 230
10x Assault Squad w/ 2x Meltagun, Lightning Claw, Melta Bomb 230
10x Assault Squad w/ 2x Meltagun, Lightning Claw 225

Attack Bike w/ Multi-Melta 50
Attack Bike w/ Multi-Melta 50
Attack Bike w/ Multi-Melta 50

5x Devastators w/ 4x Missile Launchers 130
5x Devastators w/ 4x Missile Launchers 130
5x Devastators w/ 4x Missile Launchers 130
Total: 1500 points

So, I have removed any combat incentives for the Sanguinary Priests as I intend to use my movement to avoid bringing them into combat, and by dropping one of my Melta Bombs I was able to get another Multi-Melta into the list. This is a subtle change, to be sure, but something that makes the list a better contender. In either list, and more so in this second one, I would have issues with Dreadnoughts in Close Combat. This being known however, I can use that knowledge and superior movement and shooting to avoid that situation from manifesting iteself.

Countless examples can be made and lists cleaned up using this principle and I could extend this post much longer. Still, I hope I have brought to light some examples of how putting your army together can be one with a little more though and hopefully, knowing this trap will help you to avoid similar mistakes.

TL;DR: You should not bring units in your army that are good against bad players or bad lists because you should be able to outplay them anyway. Plan for the toughest opponents and you will be ready.